Loose leaf binder



J. c. DAWSON LOOSE LEAF BINDER Filed March 16, 1935 m5 U. Dm@y J. c. DAWSON LGOSE LEAF BINDER Filed Marchl 16, 1935 2 sheets-sneak 2 Patented May 19, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LOOSE LEAF BINDER Application March 16, '1935, Serial No. 11,462

2 Claims.

The invention relates to binders of the spring arch type, in which each of the arches is formed of a pair of curved prongs, usually substantially semi-circular in form, carried by a pair of toggle elements, the toggles being controlled by a curved spring plate.

The objects of the invention are to provide an improved backing for such binder mechanism, whereby the use of a continuous back plate may be dispensed with; to provide improved booster mechanism for opening the arches; and to provide further details of improvement as will hereinafter appear.

In the drawings illustrating the invention- Fig. l is a detail plan View of an open binder embodying they improved metal parts;

Fig. 2 is an end view of the metal parts, the arches not being shown;

Fig. 3 is a detail section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a detail inverted plan of the metal parts shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3;

Figs. 5 and 6 are sectional views on the lines 5--5 and 6-, respectively, of Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is a detail view in perspective of the spring plate;

Fig. 8 is a view in perspective of the booster element;

Fig. 9 is a `detail view in perspective of a pair of toggle plates and arch members shown inv Figs. 3 and 4;

Fig. 10 is a View in perspective of one of the short back plates appearing in Figs. 3 and 4;

Fig. 1l is a View similar to Fig. 3, in which the improved metal parts are used with a full length back plate; and

Fig. 12 is a sectional view on the line I2-I2 of Fig. 11.

The invention is shown as applied to a loose leaf binder having side covers I0, II, united by a back portion I2 to which the metal parts are secured. The metal parts comprise a pair of toggle elements I3, I4, which may be of any desired form, plates being shown. To these toggle elements sheet holding arches, each comprising a pair of half rings I5, I6, are attached. In the construction chosen for illustrating the invention such attachment may be by a welding operation.

The toggle elements are bound together and controlled by a transversely curved spring plate I'I, which extends the full length of the metal parts of the binder, its marginal portions being inturned to inclose the edges of the toggle elements, as plainly shown in Fig. 4. These parts are secured to the back I2 of the binder cover by means of a pair of short back plates I8, located at the ends of the meta-1 assembly, each being attached to the binder back, as by a rivet I9 passing through an aperture 3|. But one of these plates appears in detail in the drawings, and as they are alike but one will be described.

The body portion of such plate I8 is of less width than the combined toggle elements, but at or adjacent each end it isprovided with a pair of lateral lugs 2t), 20, and 2|, 2|, both pairs .of which are overturned to embrace the margins of the toggle elements, as plainly shown in Figs. 5 and 6.

The overturned portions of the plate Il are cut away to accommodate and laterally embrace the lugs 20, 29 as plainly shown at 2|!EL in Figs. 4, 5` and 7 and indicated in Fig. 1. The plate I' is oiset outwardly at its ends, as shown at 22, to cover the end lugs 2|. In this manner the plates IS are securely attached to the other elements of the metal assembly and anchored against longitudinal movement with reference thereto. The plates I8 are of spring metal, and act to control the toggle action, supplementing the cover plate or, if desired, relieving it of the duty of compressing the toggle.

Each of the plates I8 is prolonged beyond the end of the spring plate I'I, and its outer end is upturned, as indicated at 23. Projecting from the overturned portion of the lugs 2|, 2|, are alpair of lugs 24, 25, which are folded' downwardly against the outer face of the upturned portion 23 of the back plate.

A booster lever 26 is entered between the upturned end 23 of the back plate and the end of the plate I'I. The body portion of this lever fits between the inturned margins of the lugs 2 I, and is provided with a pair of laterally and downwardly projecting lugs 21, 28, which engage under these inturned portions of the lugs 2|, and together constitute a fulcrum for the lever which turns upon the body of the plate I8. Between the lugs 21, 28, the lever is provided with a forwardly projecting tongue 29, which projects under the toggle plates I3, I4, and constitutes the load end of the lever.

The body of the lever 26 is approximately normal to the face of the plate II, and at its upper end, which constitutes the power end of the lever, has a backwar-dly turned flanges 30, to which pressure may be applied, but which does not project beyond the end of the back member of the binder.

The short booster supporting plates IB, while serving to replace the long back plate, commonly used, may, if desired, be applied to a binder metal assembly equipped with a full length back plate fastened securely tothe back portion as shown in Figs. 11 and 12. When so used its principal function is to carry or support the booster lever. The plates I8 are each, therefore, preferably provided with a rivet aperture, as 3|, by which it may be attached directly to the binder back l2 by means of a rivetv I9, and is also provided with an opening 32 for receiving an upstanding loop 33 of the long back plate 34, when the latter is used.

When the plate I8 is associated with the long back plate it is secured to the latter by means of a curved spring strip 35, which is inserted through the loop 33. A pair of bossesv35, 31, are preferably struck up on the strip 35 to engage the opposite margins o-f the loop 33. The end plate 23 is centrally recessed, as shown at 38, to permit the insertion of the strip 35.

I claim as my invention- Y v1. A loose leaf metal assembly comprising openable sheet-carrying arches, toggle elements carrying the arches, .a bowed spring plate embracing the toggle elements, a pair of spring back plates overlapping the ends of the toggle elements and having upturnedouter ends and terminating adjacent the end arches and each having a pair of lateral lugs at each end embracing the toggle elements, the margins of the spring plate overlapping the outer pair of lugs and being cut away to receive the inner pair, and levers having their power ends located between the upturned ends of the back plates and the ends of the spring plate and each having lateral fulcrum wings bearing against the body of the back plate and a laterally projecting toe projecting under and engageable with the toggle elements.

2. In a loose leaf binder metal assembly of the toggle type and having toggle elements and openable arches, a pair of arched spring metal back plates adapted for attachment to a binder back, each plate extending from an end of the assembly approximately to the arch nearest thereto and being of less Width than the combined toggle elements and having a pair of lateral ilanges at each end for engaging such elementsl and a plate covering and overlapping the toggle elements and being notched at its margins to embrace the several flanges at the inner ends of the back plates.

JAMES C. DAWSON. 

